


Out of Black, in to the Blue

by Lumituomi



Series: Songs from my white world. [1]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2019-03-14 17:27:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13594857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumituomi/pseuds/Lumituomi
Summary: In alternate universe things can be ...different? Fiction of ones of alternate universe being under attack and searching for safe.





	Out of Black, in to the Blue

“Unscheduled gate-activation!”

Those words always sent whole base to fire-brigade-fast action. As now, making general Jack O'Neill run last stairs up to control room. “What have we got?”

“Something abyss,” Walter Harriman announces. “Look at the gate!”

Gate is not as usual, instead looks like the iris is vanishing to blackness, sparkling like mirror, but floating like water. “What the... it looks like quantum mirror,” Jack O'Neill notes stunned. Why does something like this always happen when he is called to look after base for few days?

“We have no control over it,” Harriman announces.

“Men, be ready,” O'Neill announces and runs downstairs. Alarm is blasting all over the corridors. He meets Colonel Mitchell at door to gate-room. “Gate has gone nuts,” he announces.

“What?” he does not get an answer, instead he sees man stumble out of gate, shouting 'don't shoot, we have wounded and need refuge'. He can feel how O'Neill turns to look at him with a question in his lips, but he don't have an answer, more like several new questions.

“Don't shoot!” O'Neill calls over the sirens. Man on slope turns to look back and then wave of people churn out of gate. Women and men, wounded and scared. Familiar faces. Familiar voices. Like the one calling medical help. “Janet?”

“O'Neill? Good lord, thank you. Please, help us!”

“Get medics,” O'Neill calls as doctor Janet Fraser kneels to help very pregnant woman with blond hair. So, they got visitors from other timeline, other reality. Visitors who needed medical help as they looked like they had lost a war. “Total isolation until this is settled!”

“Don't shoot!” Another familiar voice, and O'Neill sees himself swaying on gate, covering white-haired figure with his own body as dark-haired man rushes beside him. “He's not a threat!”

“What? A wraith?”

“He is not a threat,” Janet calls too, desperation in her voice. “He is our ally.”

“I surrender,” announces tall, lean figure, voice low.

“Everybody, DOWN!” The man they had seen coming in first throws a hand-grenade to blackness. With a sign from Jack marines cover women and wounded as wraith pushes Jack's copy down, covering him with his own body. Explosion sets shards all over but gate closes as mirror breaks to pieces. “Jack!”

“He's alive,” wraith states and backs to corner as some marines get him to range of their guns.

“You better not hurt him,” Janet shouts. “We need him!”

“Guys, at ease. But keep him secured,” O'Neill orders. Ally or not, he was not taking any chances with it. “What happened to you?”

“Goa'uld, sir. They got knowledge of nuclear weapons and our base had some old volcanic segments under it. We got lava running on corridors. We took every chance to get the hell out of there, part of us leaving by gate, rest by mirror.”

Lorne, O'Neill recognizes. Good one to explain things. Made all so clear by few sentences. And only that one marine is fast to grab him prevents total face-to-floor. Then O'Neill sees darkness in his jacket. Blood. Lots of blood. “Infirmary. Now.”

“Yes sir.” Another marine rushes in and they carry Lorne off.

*** *** *** ***

  


Twenty eight people and one wraith, O'Neill gets the count when the rush goes down. Every bed in infirmary is in use and those with fewer wounds got a band-aid and chair. Marines guard everything and everyone. Other O'Neill is drugged and marines tries unsuccessfully remove dark-haired man in civilian clothes beside his bed. “Okay, who's in lead of these people?”

“That would be me,” announces a man beside bed of one visitor. “As Jack is out... General O'Neill.”

“Yeah, that's me.”

“Yeah, I see it, but I mean I'm general O'Neill too. Major general Cameron O'Neill,” man states. “Howdy.”

“Huh?” What the hell? Mitchell in same ranks as he is? Who did he say he was?

“Diversion in our realities,” Mitchell-looking general grins. “Honesty, I'm Cameron O'Neill. Jack is my father.”

O'Neill hears strangled voice beside him, but don't pay more attention to that. “You? O'Neill? And two-star general?”

“Yeah, got my second star few month ago. By the way, Jack has three of them,” Cameron explains calm. And right, his uniform had bright stars on its shoulders. And the name-sign reads C. O'Neill.

“And...?”

“John? Oh, he's Jack's partner. Would not call him my step-father anyway, he's too young to that.”

“Colonel Sheppard is your father's...” Jack tries to understand the situation. Cameron the general is fast to cut in.

“No, Shep is civilian. He was retired after he took a crash in Afghanistan. Got a career in mathematics instead of flying. As a teacher.”

“Oh shit.” Not so nice. The crash. But still... “But O'Neill there...”

“O'Neill there and Sheppard beside him are an item, they date, share sheets, dive the haystack, sleep together, go steady...”

“Got it! You can stop now!” O'Neill casts a look around. Where the hell Mitchell was? Shouldn't he be around here working with these people? “And the wraith you brought with you?”

“Cochise.” Cameron nods. “Yes, we found him being tortured by some goa'uld. He's a valued ally in fight against goa'uld. He can take the life out of snake leaving the vessel alive. Would die for us if needed. Usually ends up giving life.”

“Wraith as an ally? Well, our Sheppard has his twisted relationship with his, called him Todd...” Jack rubs his temple. This was giving him a headache. “And the people here... you brought them here for safe.”

“Yes.” Cameron offers him a list. “All here. Want to go over that now or later?”

“I could check some...” O'Neill scans the list. “Clinton? Former Carter?”

“Yes, Sam. Samantha Clinton, former Carter. Your doctor Lam got the pains stop. She and baby will have some time to recover from the run. She's pregnant, you know?” Cameron walks to next room, straight to one bed. “Sam, honey, how are you?”

“Fine,” comes tired answer. Black circles under her eyes make her look so small and the bulge looks even bigger. “How's Jack?”

“Sleeping. John is there. Hey. Meet the Jack O'Neill of this reality.”

“Oh... how nice of you to stop by,” Samantha Clinton, former Carter, says and offers her hand to shake. O'Neill reaches and shakes it gently. Damn it feels small and bony. “I know we can't stay long, but we appreciate the time you give us. And the medical care of course.”

“We are doing all we can to make sure you are safe and well, you all and specially little one here,” O'Neill assures stroking very carefully bump under sheets. Carter was somewhere working on it, having not even seen her counter-bait. Wonder if she even knew she had one here? “Would you mind it our Carter stops by? I suppose she would... be... interested?”

“I take it that she is not or has not been pregnant.”

“Not even married,” O'Neill acknowledges.

“I don't mind her stopping by,” Samantha smiles tired.

“Try to sleep, honey,” Cameron says and leads O'Neill off. “She might be widowed by now...”

“You got people running anywhere they could,” O'Neill replays his knowledge from Lorne. “How many there was to start?”

“Three hundred seventeen.” Cameron sighs. “We lost about forty in first attack. We sent most civilians to alpha site. Then to beta site. Then... to any place we thought was safe.”

“And then to another realities?”

“Yes, when we had goa'uld meeting us in gate. Sorry we dropped in like this. We're pretty desperate. Had to get hell out of there. We were last ones, that's why I explode the mirror... to avoid goa'uld follow us...”

“I got it, well done. Like Carter... Clinton there said, we can't keep you for long, but we will find you a safe place. I just... you didn't mention sending people to Atlantis.”

“Atlantis? What's that?” Cameron looks at him clearly confused, like he has never even heard of Atlantis.

“Well it's... um, did you have Daniel Jackson with you?”

“Oh. Yes. Well... until his wife died, and he moved to some forlorn planet with Teal'c and his kids. They should be safe there.”

“Kids? Your Daniel had kids?”

“Two. Boy and a girl. Hadou and Kenza.”

“Oh. And... um... his wife? Sha're?”

“Yes. You know her too? You have her here?”

“No, we don't... “ * _Heavens, did their Daniel had so different life than our? Right, don't forget you are talking to general Cameron O'Neill...*_ “Back to business, I was asking you that how could you not know Atlantis if you had Jackson? He found it to us.”

“Jack,” Cameron groans, and damn it makes him shiver for some reason. “I don't even know what the hell that Atlantis you are talking about is!”

“Maybe I let Mitchell explain it to you. Mitchell as... our Cameron?”

“Oh. So he's not your son then?”

“He shouldn't.” O'Neill digs out the list to avoid more conversation about that issue. “Doctor Fraiser. Ours is dead.”

“Ouch. Sorry. Dad has got a peculiar relationship with her, needles and all. He loves her.”

“So did I... grhm! Jeannie McKay?”

“Yeah, our genius. She was working with gate-traveling singularity and time-jumping with Asgard.”

“So she is not married? Ours is. What about her brother?”

“Who?” And Cameron again looks at him stunned. “ Brother? Jennie has no brother, I know that, I know all about my team, and she was in it.”

“Oh.” So no Rodney McKay or Jackson? How did these folks survive this long? And no Atlantis? How in hell did they then meet the wraith as those live in Pegasus-galaxy, where also Atlantis is, O'Neill wonders. And vocals that question out.

“Oh, he's the only wraith we have ever met. Cochise has told us about his race, but honestly, we have no desire to meet them. And how he ended our galaxy... Jennie explained it as kind of window opening between galaxies. She has been working with it since. She says we could travel to some other galaxy through it if we can open one.” And Cameron is drawing squares in air with his fingers.

“Yeah. Like using your gate to a long-distance-calls.” O'Neill scans the list and sees more familiar fingers. names. “So, Markham, Lorne, Banks and Zelenka. We have them in Atlantis.”

“Right...” He seems hardly refraining eye-roll and turns instead to serious pondering. “Lorne is in quite bad shape. You think this Atlantis is far enough he could stay here bit longer?”

“Huh? Oh. Um, how about I get Mitchell here, he can tell you more about Atlantis... and Pegasus...” O'Neill sputters and escapes.

*** *** ****

  


“Um... general O'Neill?” The man front of him turns, and he feels like dozens of mice running along his back, everyone with icy-cold feet, as he looks himself, only difference being shining stars and nameplate. Dang, this was not going to be easy.

“Yeah? Um... colonel Mitchell.”

“Yes. Um. Shit, I've seen copies of me running around base but never met one with different name or that rank... shit! Sorry, sir.”

“At ease,” Cameron O'Neill states automatically. “Yeah, bit... disturbing?”

“You bet! Gah! Sir.”

“Easy there,” O'Neill slaps his hand on shoulder of his counter-bait. “I know how hard it's to bend your tongue to 'sir' when you are used to first names. You see, I keep on calling your general O'Neill 'Jack'... funny thing, he has not said a word about it...”

“He's used to it, Jackson calls him 'Jack'. Um, Daniel Jackson, I mean, sir.”

“How about we drop ranks here, you'll strain your brains if you try to comprehend yourself as your CO. I'm Cam.”

“Me too.”

“Um... if I call you Shaft?”

“Suits me. Um... so, the Atlantis? Never heard? Wanna hear?”

  


“General O'Neill!”

“Jack!”

Said general goes through various different emotions in same as he turns to face two identical men. “Hi. O'Neill. Mitchell. Howdy.”

“You think your people in Atlantis could open a way through mirror to our Atlantis?”

“Huh?” Well, general Cameron did not waste time to 'good-day-how-are-you'. Straight to the point. To open way to their Atlantis? Good forbid, if that would work out, it would be more than perfect solution to present problem. “Well, we have a mirror here. If we take it to Atlantis...”

“It would mirror Atlantis on other reality,” Mitchell states excited. “It mirrors the present place, right? Sir,” he adds fast as his O'Neill casts him a questioning look as other O'Neill tries to look innocent.

“You're a bad influence,” general Jack states to general Cameron. “ But yeah, it could work.”

“God I hope so,” general Cameron sighs, “it would be perfect solution here. You would get us out of your sheets, and we could start again there. You think I could visit your Atlantis? Shaft here has told me some interesting things...”

“Sure, why not...” _*Shaft? Gee, you guys go well together, don't ya?*_ “In fact, we could pick some of us, those you have there too, and take them along. It might ease those trembles.”

“Entropic cascade failures,” colonel Cameron says absently and both generals turn to look at him in one. “Um...?”

“So that's why you keep him around even he's not your son!”

“Well it's definitely not only for his good looks!”

**** **** **** ****

  


“General?”

“Yeah?” Jack O'Neill is settling a trip to Atlantis, to take general from other reality to visit place they might find a way to return their own reality as few of his other personnel are coming too. Samantha Carter for one does not seem pleased but does as ordered.

“Should we inform Atlantis about our situation, sir? Like these duplicates here,” Mitchell draws imaginary circle.

“Oh. Hm... yeah, we should.”

“Should I...” Mitchell thinks a second. “Hey, how about we delay data-burst and you two scare a shit out of Sheppard?”

Jack gets it at once. Damn Mitchell had some evil in him! He liked it. But he should not show it... “Well, I'm not on your childish pranks but... they'll find out as we get there. Make sure that data-burst gets delayed. And get to infirmary with video-camera. Ask our visitors to say 'hi'.”

*** *** *** *** ****

  


“Gate activation. General O'Neill,” Chuck announces. Was there some trouble? Their data-burst had been delayed and now there was earthlings coming.

“What's going on? Well, let them in,” colonel John Sheppard orders. And jogs down to meet their visitors. “General,” he calls as O'Neill walks out of gate, “welcome. What brings you here?”

“We have some issues at home,” O'Neill states as man behind him stops to adore scene. “Hey. Move.”

“Come on Mitchell, you have seen this place before, don't just stand there like an idiot, move your lazy feet!” Sheppard is already on bad mood, and seeing man he had argument when they last met, does not ease his emotions.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, move your fat ass. You sure have been sitting beside desk! Ever though about diet?

“Colonel, did you just imply I'm overweight?”

“Something like that,” Sheppard waves his hand. “Hey, I know you are used to lose your pants but when did you lose your jacket too? That's not yours. General, you don't happen wear his?”

“I don't think so, Sheppard.” Personnel with O'Neill gather behind him as people in Atlantis gather around Sheppard. And anyone else stays silent.

“Well, I just thought you got dressed in rush and got your clothes mixed...”

“Is he for real?”

“Unfortunately,” Jack sighs. He can hear Atlantis humming in his head and wonders if other O'Neill hears that too. Damn, he forgot to test if he has gene!

“Colonel, I really think you should work your language, specially when you talk to your superiors.”

“Sure I do, but I'm talking to you now.”

“And you don't seem to have the slightest idea who you are talking to?”

“Oh, come on Mitchell, you don't fool me with clothes.”

“Um, colonel Sheppard,” Jack jumped in before Sheppard got his neck to tighter noose. “May I introduce? Meet major general Cameron O'Neill. He's from other reality.”

“Aw, come on you... uh...” it's clearly seen when Sheppard begins to sense something being wrong. His face begins to turn ash-white as younger general O'Neill's feral grin grows bigger.

“Yeah, colonel, you just insulted two-star general. Want me to give you a moment to write your last will?”

“Uh... I... Um...”

“Idiot, you said? Fat ass, you said? Did you even imply about illegal affair between two male officers?”

“Uh... I...”

“Tired of being in charge, colonel? Well, I can change it... YOU FUCKING SORRY EXCUSE OF HUMAN BEING, I SHOULD RIP YOUR RANK MARKS OFF AND MAKE YOU EAT THEM! YOU WILL WASH FLOORS OF SHITTIEST TOILETS BY LICKING THEM CLEAN FOR YOUR ACTS!”

Whole Atlantis is silent as mice in front of herd of feral cats who has not eaten in weeks. One brave dares to interfere as Cameron continues to rip new one on Sheppard. Rodney McKay stumbles through mass of 'Lantians. “Hey stop that!”

“DID SOMEONE ASK YOU SOMETHING? FUCK OFF!”

“Leave him...”

“SHUT UP OR I BEND YOU TO BALL AND KICK TO NEAREST MOON!” Jack thinks he recognizes Lorne as someone grabs McKay and begins to pull him off. Seemingly Ronon is there to help and very much-needed.

“Gosh,” Jack huffs as Cameron returns slashing Sheppard with all information he could and would be delighted to do and turns to Samantha Carter beside him. “Am I that bad?”

“No, sir. That must be Cam's own heritage.”

“God forbid if our Mitchell turns like that if he is promoted.”

“He will not, sir, our Cam is sweet and nice.” Samantha walks to scene and sets her arm on Cameron's. Sheppard is in tears by then and Samantha feels sorry for him. “Cam, honey, that's enough, let him live.”

Shockingly furious general calms down on that touch. “Ya think?”

“Well, we kind of need him here, honey. I bet he knows his place now... Right, colonel?”

“Yes ma'am, sir, sorry sir, I...”

“Shut up and get lost,” Cameron growls and Sheppard runs as general turns to look again the gate-room in ave. “Sam, did you know this place sings?”

“Yes, but only those with gene. If you hear her singing you have the gene.”

“Oh.”

“O'Neill... our O'Neill has it, I suppose your Jack has it too, and you inherited it,” Samantha smiles. This Cameron having gene would make things so much easier. Wonder if their Sheppard had gene too? Well, general O'Neill... Jack O'Neill from other reality surely had. If and when they reach their Atlantis, it's doors would open to them with a song.

  


“So we need you to find our Atlantis. Where ever she is. So we can take our people there and build new life. Maybe even get those on our alpha- and beta-side there too. Got it?” General Cameron O'Neill casts a look on people around table.

“We'll need a mirror,” Radek Zelenka states.

“Earth will borrow their,” Jack promises.

“We could start settling laboratory ready.” Samantha is already making notes of things needed.

“Aye, how do we decipher which reality is yours? There is plenty, you know...” Beckett. God he missed their Scottish doctor.

“Well, being deserted is one clue there, right?”

“There will be wraith, sir,” Sheppard reminds.

“Yeah, I'm aware of that...” Cameron sighs. “We know what they are.”

“Um, if you have never even heard of Atlantis, how would you know about wraith?”

“I have one as a pet,” Cameron grins mischievously. “Named him Cochise.”

“He is at least as crazy as you,” McKay shouts to Sheppard. “Wraith as a bet, for Pete's sake!”

“Come on, he's houseclean and bites only those I tell him to.”

“Out of his mind, this too... “ Rodney mutters and Sheppard fears the future. General Cameron O'Neill was scary, even scarier than general Jack O'Neill and that was something!

“Mitchell is setting transportation of mirror, it should be here soon.”

“Good. Sam, you lead. Radek?”

“Yes, I will help, yes.” Zelenka reset his glasses as he got up and to Samantha. “What do we need?

“I have list here...” Samantha informs. “If we settle laboratory up now, we can start running scenarios as soon as we get mirror here.”

“Need a hand there?” Lorne has been silent until now, and Cameron grins. Quietly following until needed, that's Lorne. Just like his. Only this one was still major, not colonel as his was.

“Yes, thank you, major, we have much equipment to move, yes,” Radek states.

“Good. I count on you. McKay. You'll help them.”

“What? If anything I will be leading that stupid project of yours!”

“Rod...”

“No, I will not work under her, I'm a hundred times smarter than she, get that, murderous jerk!”

“Murderous? Really?” Cameron turns to look Sheppard for explanation.

“Um, well, sir, Mitchell once threatened him with a lemon... Rodney is allergic to lemons.”

“So you to know not to bring one near me!”

“McKay...” Jack tries to smoother situation, but general Cameron does not need his help. He grabs Rodney with one hand and picks him up, bringing him close to his face.

“So no lemon,” he almost purrs. “Well then, how about melon? Because if you don't stop being an asshole I'LL GET ONE AND STUFF IN YOUR SHITHOLE TO GET IT BIG ENOUGH TO GO ALONG REST OF YOU!”

“You... you don't...” Even the threat was totally absurd, after witnessing general from other reality ripping Sheppard to pieces, Rodney didn't query younger O'Neill's ability to fulfill it, not for second.

“Dare me.” Please do, please...

“General!”

“Yes?” Two voices answers in one. Rodney calling for general O'Neill does not make any difference except getting Canadian desperate.

“General Jack! Tell him to stop!”

“Sorry, doc, can't order someone on same rank,” Jack grins.

“Do. We. Have. An. Agreement?” Rodney feels like his teeth chatter to shards as younger general O'Neill shakes him hard on every word.

“Yes! Yes! Sorry!”

“Atta-boy,” Cameron drops Rodney back to ground. Scientist stumbles to stay on his feet. “Now, go play with Sam. But play nice, so I don't need to interfere.”

“No sir, yes sir, thank you sir!”

Sheppard can't help but shriek out, “Good heavens!”

“See what my genes could bring out from someone?” Wonder what my asgardian-copy would grow to be?

“Holy shit, you are scary already, but he is... twice horrifying! Sir,” Sheppard adds fast as Jack coughs meaningfully.

“Sheppard?”

“Yes, sir?!” It's been a while Jack has seen someone pose so fast and so sharply. Hm, maybe he should take some notes of general Cameron to regenerate his own manners...

“This city you call yours... “

“Atlantis, sir? What about her, sir?”

“She can fly, dive and fight. Do you ever tell her how gorgeous she is?”

“I think she knows it, sir.”

“Do you, babe?” Cameron stares the roof and it's crystal-clear he is discussing with Atlantis. “Do you get respect from him? Oh, babe, should I give him a lesson? Teach some manners? Spank some sense?”

“Sir! Please, sir, don't!”

“I want to be there when Mitchell drops by, to see if you call him sir too,” Jack grins. “You seem to gotten that to your backbone...”

“General!”

“What, colonel,” comes from two mouth at once.

* *** *** *** **** ***

  


“Hey, Mitchell the mail-man!”

“Hello, sir. Cam. Sam.” Mitchell smiles and waves as marines behind him carry big box out of vortex. “Got you something to play with.”

“You are the best!”

“Sure honey,” but smile vanishes. “Sir, I had to bring one of our visitors here. She got tremors and as she was injured...”

“God! Who?”

“Ms. McKay,” Mitchell informs as tall, white-haired person steps out of vortex carrying someone. Every solder in gate-room releases their safety catches as marines carrying box set it down and move to cover incomers. “And... uh, she got hysteric when we tried to move her. Cochise was only she co-operated...”

“Weapons down! Now,” Cameron O'Neill calls, “or you find them from your asses crosswise!”

One soldier is slower than others and gets smack from one of his company as other one grabs his gun. “Idiot! Gun down! When HE says, you obey!”

“Who he...”

“Sorry sir,” other soldier calls as he drags his team-mate away. Rest of gate-team is already posing nervous as many of them had witnessed Sheppard being rebuked and would not want to draw attention to themselves. Their own O'Neill was bad enough but alternate, being epitome of O'Neill and Mitchell, was worst than devil himself.

“Okay, Sam you know where to this,” Mitchell starts directing. “Can you call Beckett here? Hey, Sheppard!”

“Sir!” It comes out before other colonel can stop and realization, as Jack O'Neill shouts victoriously 'Gotcha!' pointing him, makes Sheppard spit out “Fuck!”

“Language, colonel,” younger general yells immediately and Sheppard goes white.

“Sorry, sir!”

“I must say, he has talent,” Jack states to confused Mitchell. “Look how he made Sheppard act like a real soldier in few hours.”

“Evolution is scary thing,” Mitchell states absently as he guides Cochise to set Jennie McKay stretch doctor Beckett had brought. “Can you allow him around? Ms. McKay was more than nervous...”

“I will not harm any of your people,” Cochise promises, eyes locked on motionless figure medics hassle around.

“Sure Todd...”

“Cochise,” Cameron the general corrects. “We call him Cochise.”

“Uh, aye... Cochise. You can stay,” Carson says.

“Carson, make sure Rodney stays aloof. She,” Mitchell points Carson's new patient, “has no brother.”

“Oh. Aye, you can trust me. Maybe you can help me in it,” Carson faces tall wraith.

“Anything you say, doctor B.”

*** *** ***

  


“We have found five alternate Atlantis that are deserted,” Samantha Carter announces. “But we don't know how to define which is yours. Unfortunately we got no data about your mirror to use as comparison...”

“Yeah, sorry that I exploded it before you could examine...” Cameron does not even try to sound apologetic.

“It's all right honey, I forgive you that,” Samantha states airily. “Wouldn't want goa'uld visiting, so thanks for shutting the door. Or mirror in this case...”

“How do we solve which is right one?”

“We could throw that general with ego size of galaxy there and see if it spits him back or not,” Rodney suggests.

“Or we can throw asshole scientist there and see if something eats him or not.”

“Whoa there! Let's compromise! Throw them both there,” Jack suggests.

  


“I don't like him,” Rodney McKay states as he tries to read his data-pad in darkness. “And you I hate.”

“Like it would make any difference here,” Cameron remarks as he scans walls in light of his flashlight.

“Can we agree to disagree? Do you feel anything?”

“No, this place is dead,” Cameron states. No singing, no tickling in back of his head. Dead.

“When we got to Atlantis, the moment Sheppard stepped in, lights came. So, this is wrong Atlantis, or her batteries are drained. By the way, I heard Mitchell brought my sister here. To our Atlantis.”

“First, don't bother to imply I'd mix this or your Atlantis and second, she is not your sister. Shaft brought in our head-scientist Jennie McKay.”

“And she is my sister!”

“My dear Meredith,” Cameron taunts, as he had gotten some useful information from other O'Neill, “you don't exist in our reality. Sorry. I think Jennie's parents decided one is enough and mamma McKay tied her tubes.”

That shut Rodney for good minute before he got his tongue working again. “I... don't exist?”

“Or she got you aborted,” Cameron states absently. Something feels wrong.

“Well that was mean!”

“I never said I'll be your BFF,” Cameron groans. “Can we get back to business? For me seems like this Atlantis is not one we are searching for.”

“Right... Maybe we should...” Rodney startles as Cameron lets out surprised yelp. “Colonel... damn, general! What is it?”

“This is not good...” Cameron leans to wall and weak little light begins to glow under his hand. “Fuck! Run, McKay! BACK! NOW!”

“What...”

Cameron grabs Rodney and pulls him along, throwing him through mirror and yells as he jumps after him: “Close it, fucking hell, CLOSE IT NOW!”

Samantha's hand stomps switch needed to cut the connection. “What was it?”

“Poisoned... that place was poisoned,” Cameron stutters. “Dead... all... poisoned... tried to get us...”

“I saw nothing, just a little glow... but readings show no signs of life,” Rodney states.

“She was there no more, she was... polluted. Insane. Fuck. Someone poisoned that Atlantis, killed people there and left her suffering. She lost her mind.”

Silence fills laboratory as everyone thinks how horrible it would be if something like that happens to their Atlantis.

** *** **

“Sheppard, you could replace O'Neill...”

“No, he can accompany me but I need to be there to feel if that Atlantis is ours,” Cameron O'Neill states.

“Can you handle that?” Jack is worried. What ever was in polluted Atlantis, it was hard for Cameron to wear off.

“Well, Sheppard can carry me out if I drop. If you are strong enough... you seemingly have missed some of your meals, I mean... spindles-hanks.”

Sheppard wants to tell it's better than being a lard-ass, but he don't want to risk his career again. First time would go under not being informed about situation but if he begins to needle younger general O'Neill knowing who he is, his could kiss his ass and career goodbye, because he would be kicked out of military and Atlantis so fast he'd notice it week later. “We could take Ronon with us, sir. Or Lorne, he is capable to lot.”

“Nah, better Lorne stays here and looks after your beloved 'Lantis.”

“Well then, shall we go now?”

  


“There is some energy here,” Rodney states as low shimmering lights corridors of Atlantis.

“Very little,” Sheppard groans. This Atlantis was too quiet. Low lights were ghostly.

“There is something!” Rodney stares his scanner. “There!”

“Should we be worried?”

“Colonel, we should be very worried.”

Slowly three men sneak their ways to hall nearby and for their surprise, they find two persons spread on couch. Cameron steps closer, looks, and turns away with silent curse.

“Sir?”

“This is not our either!”

“You sure, sir?”

“As death would be. Come on. Back we go.”

“But... “ Rodney does not comprehend. So he stumbles over only to return soon face white as snow. “Yes, we better go...”

“What? What was it,” Sheppard asks but as either answers, he rushes in. To see two persons entwined together, motionless as they had died long time ago, only clothing keeping dry bones joined. But nameplates on their clothes are still readable. Col. J. O'Neill. MD J. Fraiser. No, this was not Atlantis they were looking for either...

  


“No luck?”

“No.” Cameron rushes off, and Sheppard sighs as Rodney stay silent too.

“Give him some time,” he begs. “We found bodies of people he knows are alive now, so that is either their Atlantis.”

“Oh, so sad.”

*** *** ***

  


“Ready?”

“As ready as we can be,” Cameron states rolling his eyes to question.

“Good luck,” Samantha states and activates mirror. “Hope you find it now.”

“So do I, Carter, so do I,” Sheppard sighs as he follows O'Neill to blackness. Just to run to him as Cameron has stopped next moment he had walked in. “What, sir?”

“She sings...”

“Oh?” Sheppard listens. It's humming, not singing as in his Atlantis, but tickling in back of his head is familiar. “You think... this is it?”

“She may be...” Cameron rushes to door nearby, to corridors that lead to gate-room where all lights come on and humming turns louder. “Oh my...” Even star-gate dominating hall seems to begin shimmering.

“All facilities are coming up. She is waking up. Holy hell, look at this,” Rodney tries to show his scanner to anyone.

“She is sunken as our was,” Sheppard states. “We need people here to take her up carefully.”

Cameron mutters something and Sheppard twitches as he understands some words. General from other reality was talking ancient...

  


“We found it,” Sheppard shouts as he walks out of blackness. “Radek, we need our people there to take her up without damage. She's still underwater.”

“Really? Is it really their Atlantis,” Samantha demands as others begin cheer.

“Yes, it sung to him,” Sheppard states. “And he talked to her... on ancient.”

  


  



End file.
